Joyce H. Watkins
Condolences can be sent to the family at www.bolyardfuneralhomewv.com Bolyard Funeral Home is honored to serve the Watkins family.
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Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
Pastor: Homeland Security's use of Bible verse in video is blasphemy
My social media channels were flooded with the words of the prophet Isaiah last week. That's hardly unusual. I am a pastor and the algorithms feed me a steady stream of sermons, articles and even memes based on scripture. The verse I kept seeing, Isaiah 6:8, also happens to be one of my favorites. The prophet is telling the story of his commissioning or call to ministry. He has an ecstatic vision of God seated on the heavenly throne, surrounded by flying seraphim singing 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.' Isaiah is filled with dread and confesses, 'Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips.' The Lord cleanses the prophet's mouth with a live coal and then he hears God say, 'Whom shall I send, who will go for us?' and Isaiah replies, 'Here I am, Lord. Send me.' Like a lot of Christians, this passage resonates deeply with me. I've never had a vision like Isaiah's, but I have heard the Lord 'calling in the night,' as the old hymn goes. I have, with fear and trembling, prayed those words, 'Here I am, Lord. Send me.' Whenever I hear them, I remember my decision to follow Jesus, who quoted Isaiah at the beginning of his public ministry, saying, 'He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the prisoners free and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' Usually I love to hear Isaiah 6:8. It speaks to what is most sacred in my life. But I was disgusted when I heard those words last week in the Department of Homeland Security's new recruitment video. The ad opens with marine helicopters traveling down a runway at dusk, preparing for take off on a mission. A genial male voice with a slight southern accent says, 'There's a Bible verse I think about sometimes, many times.' Now the camera cuts to the inside of a helicopter, the light grows dimmer but we can make out DHS secretary Kristy Noam surrounded by agents in body armor. The narrator intones Isaiah 6:8, 'Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Who shall I send? And who will go for us?' Ominous music swells up, but the voices aren't singing 'Holy, holy, holy,' they chant again and again, 'You can run on for a long time, sooner or later God's gonna cut you down.' Then a rapid montage of shots: agents chasing people in boats, a Customs and Border Patrol patch on a uniform, armored vehicles, rugged terrain surveilled through night vision goggles and the brightest light–the gleam of plastic zip tie handcuffs in an agent's belt. In choosing to use Isaiah 6:8, the video suggests that the Trump administration's mission to capture a daily quota of undocumented immigrants, deny them due process and imprison them in 'Gator Gulags' is God's mission. God didn't send the prophet Isaiah to hunt down the poor and vulnerable. In fact, in chapter 16, God puts these words in the mouth of the prophet; 'Hide the fugitives, do not betray the refugees, let the fugitives stay with you; be their shelter from the destroyer.' God sends the prophet Isaiah on a dangerous mission to speak judgement against the powerful, announcing 'Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field til there is no space left and you live alone in the land. Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.' Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol agents are sent by the federal government, not the sovereign Lord. To suggest otherwise is the textbook definition of blasphemy. Kate Murphy is pastor at The Grove Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
50 years ago: Boys catch a rare fish at Gourock's McInroy's Point (1975)
WHEN John Stark and Graeme Warwick found themselves at a loose end at the start of the school holidays they decided to do some fishing. The result of that activity can be seen here, with a proud John. The boys had been fishing at McInroy's Point a short time when they reeled in a line and found at the end of it a strange fish they could not identify. Youngster Graeme Warwick with the fish in 1975 (Image: Archive) They decided to ask the owner of a local fishing tackle shop to name it for them, but he too was baffled. He consulted a reference book and eventually the fish was identified on a wall chart as a comber or sea perch. Other Archive News 105 years ago: Empty chocolate box sold in Greenock for a high price (1920) 50 years ago: Summer floods leave Inverclyde under water after long dry spell (1975) 50 years ago: Youngsters hard at work at Greenock summer play group (1975) "I asked him if the fish was unusual in Scotland," said John, "and he said it is rare anywhere in Britain." The fish eventually had to be disposed of but John, of 13 Newton Street, wisely made sure that he first got some pictures of their rare catch. This article was first published on August 1, 1975.
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
A camp experience for less than $5? Winkler-based ministry says it's possible
At first glance, the idea seems impossible: Send a child to camp — including food, songs, crafts, and discipleship follow-up — for less than the cost of a fast-food combo meal. And yet, that's precisely what Children's Camps International (CCI), a Winkler-based faith organization, has done for more than two decades. Now in its 23rd year, CCI has helped more than 4.3 million children in Asia and South America attend camp, many of whom have heard about the love of Jesus for the very first time. 'So far this year, we've already reached over 240,000 kids, and we're expecting to hit 340,000 by the end of the year,' says Dave Thiessen, Executive Director of CCI. 'And we're still doing it for under $5 per child, which includes a full year of follow-up.' At its core, CCI is a ministry of partnership. Instead of building new infrastructure overseas, the organization trains and equips local churches to run their own summer day camps, similar to vacation Bible school programs in North America. 'The model is intentionally low-cost and locally owned,' says Thiessen. 'We help churches run vibrant, Jesus-centred camps that include crafts, games, singing, food, and Bible teaching — all within their own neighbourhoods.' Children, typically aged 8 to 15, are invited from nearby communities to attend camp. For many, it's their first introduction to a message of love, hope, and value. 'A lot of these kids have never heard that there's a God who sees them and cares for them,' says Thiessen. 'It's life-changing.' The ripple effects of these camps are staggering. One story Thiessen shares involves a young girl in a restricted country in Asia. Her father used to pour milk over stone idols as an offering. His daughter attended a CCI camp simply because she was hungry. She came to know Jesus — and eventually, so did her father. 'Now he uses that milk to feed people in his village,' Thiessen says. 'Same cow, totally different purpose.' Another powerful story involves a man named Shiva who was seriously injured in a car accident. Alone in hospital, he was visited by a Christian couple, sparking a friendship and eventual faith conversion. When he returned home, he struggled to share his new faith with adults. Then he heard about CCI. 'He started one of our camps and now says, 'This is my church,' surrounded by hundreds of children,' Thiessen says. Back home, Thiessen says the ministry's Canadian supporters come from all walks of life — from farmers donating crops in regional 'Harvest for Kids' events, to high school students building and selling houses, to families running lemonade stands. 'Everybody's got a gift,' says Thiessen. 'If you're a farmer, farm for kingdom impact. If you run a business, use it to bless others. Everyone can play a role.' Recently, a collector car was donated to CCI and is now part of a sweepstakes fundraiser. Earlier this month, a slow pitch tournament in Winkler raised over $20,000 for the cause. Meanwhile, the agricultural community continues to show strong support, with active Harvest for Kids fields now planted in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. 'When it's time to thresh, everyone comes out to help,' Thiessen says. Currently, over 5,000 churches are on the waiting list to join CCI's network. The potential impact is staggering. 'If we had the funding today, we could send a million kids to camp this year,' Thiessen says. 'The infrastructure is in place. The churches are ready. We just need the resources.' Even more remarkably, most of the international churches now cover about 75% of the camp costs themselves. CCI's model is designed to reduce dependency over time, ensuring local ownership and long-term sustainability. 'We don't want to parachute in and take over,' says Thiessen. 'We want to empower churches to disciple their own communities for generations. Legacy, purpose, and the long view For Thiessen, who spent years in business before joining CCI, the work is personal. 'This is the hardest thing I've ever done, but also the most fulfilling,' he says. 'It's not about building an empire — it's about transforming lives.' He says the mission is ultimately a challenge to every Canadian: 'What legacy do you want to leave behind? What have you been gifted with? Use it. Whether it's $5 or five acres, invest it in something eternal.' Learn more at . — Steven Sukkau is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Have thoughts on what's going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . 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